Archive for June, 2009

I’m finally joining the blog world. It’s been a long time coming. You see, the idea for this blog actually came to mind nearly two years ago. I’ve been writing blog posts for it since then, but I’ve just kept them in my journal. Now you finally get to read them.

To kick off my blog, I want to share the idea that started it all; I like to call it the “Parable of the Bag of Cookies.” It was written in May 2007.

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Last night, my family gathered for dinner at my brother’s home. I always love those evenings. As I was leaving, my brother asked if I wanted to take home some cookies left over from dessert. I eagerly consented (who can pass up cookies?), and he put several in a plastic bag for me. I figured they’d be the perfect snack between classes at Women’s Conference. When I left my home this morning, I put them in my purse and headed to the conference. Then the coolest experience began. Every time I pulled out my bag of cookies, I thought of my brother and how kind he was to give me the treat. And when I thought of him, I thought of our Wednesday-night dinner and the fun we had together. The bag of cookies became a constant reminder of my family. My brother had given me so many cookies that I was even able to offer some to the people around me at the conference as well, being able to brighten their day just as my brother had brightened mine. That little bag of cookies did much more than just satisfy my sweet tooth. It reminded me of my brother’s kindness, my family’s love, and the importance of bringing happiness to the lives of others.

None of us go through the world alone, and we all need each other to become our best. Every day, we have the chance to make the world a little better for someone—to give them a bag of cookies to carry with them through the day. Maybe your bag of cookies today will be a sincere complement that adds a little spring to someone’s step whenever she see the shoes you said you loved. Maybe your bag of cookies is a piece of advice you provided to someone needing direction. Maybe it’s doing laundry one day for a busy mom with two sick kids.

I can’t leave this parable without adding one more thought that came to mind. The cookies my brother gave me weren’t gourmet. They weren’t packaged in cellophane or tied with a silk bow. They were cookies given from the heart that actually didn’t take much time out of his day (after all, the cookies were already made and he was providing me with the extras from the batch). You know what I learned from that? The gifts we give others don’t have to be extraordinary or take five hours out of our day. They can be little acts of service—little everyday activities—that we’re already doing. I think those small acts of kindness are the ones that end up being remembered the most years down the road!

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Because of that parable, my blog name was preliminary titled “Cookie Parables” instead of “Everyday Parables.” I wanted my posts to be like these cookies—something that provided a reminder of how important we all are to each other and became a “dessert” with principles that we could reflect on, or savor, throughout the day. While the title of the blog changed, the premise of my writings didn’t. I hope you enjoy getting a peek into my life, but I also hope you get something more from my posts, too.